Drama as police swallows sh.2000 bribe money to avoid arrest

Mombasa, KENYA: Business was not as usual at the Dog unit police station in Kisauni on Thursday, after anti-graft officers camped at the the area looking for a police officer who swallowed bribe money in an attempt to evade arrest.

More than five Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers spent the better part of Thursday in and outside the police station; as only a few police officers were seen carrying out their duties unlike the other days.

The officer identified as Kefa Momanyi, allegedly swallowed sh. 2000 to avoid being arrested by the officers.

EACC officers based in Mombasa, said the officer who is yet to return to his work station, was caught taking money from a boda boda operator in Kongowea Wednesday evening.

Kefa had arrested a boda boda rider at Kongowea area and detained his motorcycle at the station.

According to the anti-graft officers, the said suspect then asked for sh.3000 from the boda boda operator in exchange for the release of his motorcycle.

The operator proceeded to the EACC offices and reported the matter and there after he was given sh.3000 by the EACC officers which he took to Kefa.

Upon reaching the police station, the boda boda rider managed to bargain to sh. 2000 in exchange for his motorbike; all this time the EACC officers were closely monitoring them.

“We then escorted the bodaboda rider to the police station but we were monitoring from a distance. We swung into action after we had made sure that the officer had received the money,’’ said an anti-graft officer.

When the officer realized he was under arrest, he then allegedly swallowed the money and immediately grabbed a bottle of water and drunk it as they tried to handcuff him ,added the officer.

He later overpowered the five anti-graft officers and got away.

The police officers at the station had claimed the bodaboda rider was ferrying bhang with the motorcycle, but the anti-graft officers dismissed the allegations, saying the bodaboda rider is their witness.

The EACC officers had given the police boss up to (today) Thursday 4pm to produce the officer for further action to be taken.

Traffic Police officers at the station aware of the drama, distanced themselves saying the alleged police officer had been attached to dog unit but he was only extorting the money from the boda boda riders.

Kisauni police boss Christopher Rotich confirmed the incident to Baraka FM and said the suspect had been detained and will be handed to the EACC officers.

“The officer had not escaped anywhere,but we want investigations to be conducted,’’ said Mr. Rotich.